holidays are to be presentable, as amended and re-enacted by acts of A message was received from the Senate by Mr. WICKHAM, who informed the House that the Senate had agreed to the joint resolution relating to a recess of the General Assembly until November 12, 1902. A communication was received from Mr. E. M. McPeak, resigning his seat as a member of the House of Delegates from Carroll county. Mr. CARDWELL moved that the resignation of Mr. McPeak be accepted. Which motion was agreed to. The SPEAKER issued a writ of election, as provided by law, for an election to be held on Tuesday, November 4, 1902, to fill the vacancy occasioned by the resignation of Mr. E. M. McPeak, of the county of Carroll. All other business having been suspended, the SPEAKER in the presence of the House, signed the following bills, which had been passed by both Houses and duly enrolled, the titles of said bills been publicly read. No. 12, House bill to provide for the appointment of registrars for the several towns in the Commonwealth. No. 15, House bill to amend and re-enact section 3976 of the Code of Virginia as amended and re-enacted by an act entitled an act to amend and re-enact section 3976, 3974 and 3984 of the Code of Virginia in relation to granting jurors, approved February 25, 1890. No. 25, Senate bill to carry into effect an ordinance of the Constitutional Convention of Virginia, which assembled at Richmond on the 12th day of June, 1901, entitled an ordinance to provide for the registration of voters under this Constitution and prior to 1904, so far as legislative action may be necessary, and to make it applicable to towns. No. 27, Senate bill to amend and re-enact section 85, of the Code of Virginia, 1887, making registrars conservators of the peace. No. 18, House bill to repeal section 83 of the Code of Virginia in relation to appeals from registrar, how case made up and heard. No. 26, Senate bill to amend and re-enact section 17 of an act of the General Assembly of Virginia, entitled an act to provide a method of voting by ballot, approved March 6, 1894, as amended and re-enacted by an act approved March 4, 1896, as amended and re-enacted by an act approved March 6, 1900. No. 7, House bill to amend and re-enact section 2844 of the Code of Virginia, in relation to public holidays, and as to when bills, notes, etc., otherwise presentable on any such holidays are to be presentable, as amended and re-enacted by acts of the General Assembly, approved February 28, 1890, February 5, 1892, February 19, 1896, and April 2, 1902, and to establish the entire day of every Saturday as a public holiday and a non-secular and a non-business day as regards negotiable instruments, and to relieve all persons of the duty of presenting, protesting, collecting or giving notice of the non-acceptance, non-pay ment or dishonor of any instrument whatever made after this act shall take effect, on any public holiday, Saturday or Sunday, but permitting all such notices to be given on said days. No. 19, House bill to authorize and empower the Council of Blackstone, Nottoway county, Virginia, to appoint an assessor and have the real estate within the limits of said town assessed as a basis of taxation for State, county and town purposes for the year 1903, ani thereafter until the next regular assessment, provided the aggregate amount of the said assessment shall not be less than the aggregate amount of the last assessment. No. 5, House bill to amend and re-enact section 2847 of the Code of Virginia of 1887, as amended and re-enacted by an act approved February 5, 1892. No. 14, House bill to amend and re-enact section 4079 of the Code of Virginia in reference to medical attendance, medicines and cloth ing for indigent prisoners in jail, and analyses in poison cases. No. 10, House bill to validate an act done under chapter 453 of the acts of the General Assembly of Virginia of 1901-1902, approved April 2, 1902, providing pensions for soldiers, sailors and marines of Virginia, who were wounded or disabled in the war between the States, and for widows of soldiers, sailors and marines of Virginia, who lost their lives in said service, or by reason of wounds received, or disease contracted therein. No. 3, House bill to pay certain guards at the Penitentiary certain sums of money due them and never paid. No. 6, House bill to designate and establish certain days as publie holidays and to establish and declare Saturday, after 12 o'clock noo:, a half holiday as regards the transaction of business generally, with exceptions specified in this act. Mr. JENNINGS offered the following resolution: Resolved by the House of Delegates, That the members thereof tender to its Honorable SPEAKER its sincere thanks for his courtesy and impartiality, which ever has signalized his able transaction of the arduous duties of his office, and add the wish that, when this body reconvenes in November next, he may be in his usual vigor of body and mind, to direct it in its deliberations. Be it further Resolved, That the members return thanks to the efficient officials of this House for their kindness, and compliment them upon their prompt attention to duty, and for their efficient performance thereof. Which was agreed to. On motion of Mr. CHURCHMAN, the House adjourned to meet Wednesday November 12, 1902, at 12 o'clock M. WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 12, 1902. Prayer by Rev. Dr. R. P. Kerr, of the First Presbyterian church. On motion of Mr. JENNINGS the reading of the Journal was dispensed with. The SPEAKER laid before the House the following communication: RICHMOND, November 12, 1902. To the Honorable, the Clerk of the House of Delegates: SIR: As required by law, I beg to inform you that Hon. James Banks has been elected a member of the House of Delegates of Virginia for the county of Carroll, to fill the vacancy occasioned by the resignation of Hon. E. M. McPeak, as ascertained and determined by the Board of State Canvassers at their meeting held November 11, 1902, the official record of which is in this office. Respectfully, D. Q. EGGLESTON, Secretary of the Commonwealth. Mr. JAMES BANKS, the member-elect from the county of Carroll, to fill the vacancy occasioned by the resignation of Mr. E. M. McPEAK, presented himself at the Clerk's desk and took and subscribed the oath of office required by the Constitution. Indefinite leave of absence was granted Mr. RICE, on motion of Mr. FOLKES. The following were presented and referred under Rule 37: To the Special Joint Committee on Special, Private and Local Legislation: By Mr. WADDY: A bill for the protection of wild turkeys in the county of Rockbridge and prescribing penalties for a violation of same. By Mr. STEARNES: A bill to incorporate the Newport News Chamber of Commerce. To the Committee on Finance: By Mr. CARDWELL: A bill to provide for the payment of pensioners under the Pension Act of April 2nd, 1902, whose claims were not approved and filed in the office of the Auditor of Public Accounts prior to September 1, 1902. By Mr. HEERMANS: House joint resolution for printing 10,000 copies of the new Constitution. To the Committee on Counties, Cities and Towns: By Mr. BAKER, of Chesterfield: A bill to provide for the extension and contraction from time to time of the corporate limits of cities and towns of the Commonwealth. To the Committee on Roads and Internal Navigation: By Mr. CHURCHMAN: A bill to regulate the running of automobiles, locomobiles and other vehicles and conveyances whose motive power is other than animals, along or over the public highways. f the State, and the streets and alleys f the cities. A message was received from the Senate by Mr. MANN, who informed the House that the Senate had agreed to the following joint resolution: A joint resolution, providing for a joint committee to assign certian work to the several committees of the Senate and House. Whereas, It is the duty of the General Assembly, now in session, to pass such acts as will carry into effect those provisions of the Constitution adopted and proclaimed by the Convention that assembled in Richmond on the 13th day of June, 1901, which require legislative action; and Whereas, It is also the duty of the General Assembly to make the present statutes conform to the Constitution, and to make such consequential changes as shall be rendered necessary by the enactment of new laws and changes in existing statutes; and Whereas, It is important that this work be done as speedily as possible, consistent with well considered action; and to that end, that it should be systematized and divided so that the same may be quickly and well done; Therefore, Be it Resolved, by the Senate of Virginia (the House of Delegates concurring), that a joint committee of five be appointed, two by the PRESIDENT of the Senate and three by the SPEAKER of the House, to be known as the Steering Committee, whose duty it shall be to assign to the several committees of the Senate and House the work herein mentioned to be done by the said committees respectively; and as soon as any assignments are made, the said Steering Committee shall report to the Senate and House for such action from time to time as each House respectively may take concerning the recommendation and assignment of said Steering Committee, full power being reserved to each House respectively in the premises, in order that all bills offered touching the work being done by the several committees may be properly referred, and the assignments made by the Committee shall be printed at the foot of the column. And it shall be the duty of the various committees to draw such bills |